LAND,WATER & WOOL SUPPLEMENT BEYOND THE BALE 13 RIVERS & WATER QUALITY practical guidelines for woolgrowers that address these problems, with self-assessment tools and guides on species identification, which plants to put where, control of nuisance woody weeds, who to contact and other practical tips provided. For woolgrowers such as Mark and Anna Gubbins of 'Coolana' in western Victoria, a river is a valuable asset and they have been managing it as a separate, but integrated, part of the farm. Their story inspires other woolgrowers who want to try something similar, Six years after completing a major fencing program to close off most of the Hopkins River frontage on his family property, Mark Gubbins is astounded at the regrowth of natural vegetation along the river's banks. "It's amazing to see how well the river banks have regrown," he says. "Nature has the biggest Band-aid of its own, if you give it a chance. Things have grown in places where we thought they never would, for example, river red gums. I just can't believe how quickly the river has said 'thanks'. " ú More information: See back page for Land,Water & Wool Rivers and Water Quality sub-program publications, and see www.landwaterwool.gov.au for more resources. Buffalo Brook,Tasmania, before and after rehabilitation. "Do we have success? Do we have the interest of other farmers? The answer is yes, and that's a strong benefit from Land,Water & Wool.There's more bird life, a greater range of plants in terms of age, species and size, as well as more shelter and shade for stock. It's also a lot better to look at." -- BRENDON LUNNEY, woolgrower, NSW Loaded gullies swallow topsoil Gully erosion reduces the amount of productive land, limits access to paddocks, makes it difficult to muster stock and degrades water quality through the sediment and nutrients mobilised. It is often considered evidence of poor management. Research on Brendon Lunney's property 'Bogolara', near Yass, NSW, showed that a 50-millimetre rainfall event sent 75 tonnes of suspended sediment, 15 megalitres of discharge (water flow), 20 kilograms of phosphorus and 75kg of nitrogen through a single farm gully within hours.This would substantially reduce downstream water quality to all users and means a significant loss of capital investment from farms. As a result of research through Land,Water & Wool, new easy-to-follow management guidelines are now available to help woolgrowers manage and rehabilitate gullies on-farm. 'Five Ps' provide all pieces of puzzle Trust between woolgrowers, researchers and project staff is fundamental to the success of natural resource management (NRM) programs, and the Rivers and Water Quality researcher and woolgrower team identified five key factors that build it.The 'Five P's' have guided the sub- program by bringing together the economic, scientific, environmental and social factors that influence woolgrowers in deciding whether to adopt recommended NRM practices: ú profit is the need for triple-bottom-line return; ú proof is solid real-life evidence to underpin decision-making and provide confidence to act; ú people looks at the importance of establishing and maintaining relationships; ú place considers the connection woolgrowers have to their farm and local community; and ú promise is a commitment to listen, empathise, deliver and celebrate people's involvement in NRM. Field monitoring equipment in a gully. PHOTO: FLEUR FLANERY, GARY CAITCHEON PHOTOS: BIZ & LINDSAY NICOLSON